The Bookends of Creation

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Some interesting revelations about the Bible and the eternal nature of God...

Sunday I listened to our pastor talk about part of the Lord's prayer, "...give us this day our daily bread..." My mind wandered as usually happens when the Holy Spirit begins speaking to me from the text. I thought, "daily bread" sounds like "manna in the wilderness". I thought about the verses in John where Jesus said "I am the bread of life...that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world". I thought about the beatitude that said "Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." And I thought "Jesus Christ is our righteousness". I want to hunger and thirst for the bread of life that comes down from heaven and gives righteousness and abundant life!

But my mind didn't stop wandering. I noticed all the paragraphs in the book of John that start with "I am". John is the gospel that describes how the soldiers of the chief priest drew back and fell down when Jesus declared "I AM" (probably "eh-yeh" or the name of God in Hebrew). After church I made a list of all the declarations of Jesus' identity (Word of God made flesh, Anointed One, bread of life, light of the world, good shepherd, resurrection and life, way/truth/life, true vine, eternal Son of God) and noticed that at the end of John something quite profound had happened to the disciples:

None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.
John 21:12

Ponder that for a moment. Jesus had taken on a glorified body and was in many ways different from when they last saw Him, but they understood His NATURE and felt his divine presence in their midst. They KNEW HIM because He said who HE IS.

The remainder of the chapter is the most intimate picture of the love of Jesus in all the gospel accounts.

The gospel of John clearly defines Jesus' eternal divine nature, but the Revelation to John at the end of the Bible contains the most profound "I AM" statement of all.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Revelation 22:13

I didn't realize until this week that this is a quote from Isaiah:

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.
Isaiah 44:6

Clearly Jesus through John is speaking as the eternal almighty God.

The Greek words of this verse in Revelation are also very interesting. Omega is not just the final letter of the Greek alphabet, but a form of the verb "to be", the same verb used in the words "I AM". Alpha on the other hand is not just the first letter of the Greek alphabet, but a prefix that negates whatever comes after it. So Alpha is "the state before anything" and Omega is "the final state of being".

Jesus is the author and finisher, before creation and the ultimate end of creation. Protos and Eschatos, beginning and end, Arche and Telos, pre-eminent ruler and the long-awaited answer to every prayer.

This is my savior and Lord who finally says "I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star." Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Harvest Time in the Kingdom of God

It's a beautiful crisp fall day, much like another day I remember that began as a crisp clear day across the country. That day ended with smoke and flames and the winds of war stirring in the east.

Just to our east a tropical storm is brewing and strengthening. We can't see it but soon its effects will be felt on the east coast. Beyond that another storm is gathering and moving west, carrying refugees fleeing the violence in the Middle East. While we enjoy relative peace here in the west, let's not forget those who are already experiencing (or are soon to experience) great tribulation. There is a harvest ripe for gathering ahead of this brutal storm; let's remember every day to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers, to not hold back their wages, to pray for and help those who are suffering, and to build up our own faith in the coming days for we will surely need it.

Above all remember, the joy of the Lord is our strength. Father, pour out your Spirit again on all flesh, and let us live in the joy that strengthens our faith!